The Green Party has decided to run a scaled-back campaign in the upcoming Makerfield byelection, a move that could significantly boost Labour candidate Andy Burnham's chances, the Guardian has learned. Senior party figures indicated the Greens will instead focus resources on the Greater Manchester mayoralty byelection, which would be triggered if Burnham returns to parliament.
The party is contesting the seat with Sarah Wakefield, a Manchester city councillor, as its candidate after the initial choice, Chris Kennedy, stepped down following revelations about social media posts. However, unlike the mass mobilisation seen in February's Gorton and Denton byelection—where the Greens overturned a large Labour majority—the Makerfield campaign will not involve a similar effort, as the seat is seen as demographically different and harder to win.
Internal debate has been heated, with figures like Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley urging leader Zack Polanski to limit the campaign, especially if Burnham commits to electoral reform. Bartley warned that a split left vote could help Reform UK win the seat. However, some leftwing members argue the Greens should aim to defeat Labour. A party source confirmed that central resources will not be deployed for a full campaign, saying, 'I doubt we are going to be bussing people in to Makerfield to door-knock.'
Another potential boost for Burnham comes from a constituency poll showing a split on the right, with Restore Britain—formed by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe—polling at 7%, behind Labour and Reform. The Greens officially announced Wakefield as their candidate on Tuesday, replacing Kennedy, who withdrew hours after being selected due to 'personal and family reasons' following reports of controversial social media posts.
